Present:
Perunika Petkova
Casey Aberaonye
David Ford
Petrina Beaufoy HELM
Ken Mc Cosh
On google meet, which seemed to work ok.
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.
https://www.lcc.org.uk/pages/news
There is vocal, organised opposition to Low Traffic Neighbourhoods. Everyone who has experienced a LTN would not go back to normal traffic levels. Better air quality, less traffic, better quality of life.
There is one new LTN in S Fulham, on the East side of Wandsworth Bridge road.
At the moment Hammersmith bridge is closed, Vauxhall Bridge and Wandsworth bridge are being repaired so narrowed.
People in Sands End West are complaining that there is more traffic through their area. We need people in Sands End to call for their own Low Traffic Neighbourhood to stop the extra traffic. The people who are complaining are a minority (most H&F residents do not have a car), but they are very vocal. We need the silent majority to become vocal supporters of Low traffic neighbourhoods.
There is a link in the newsletter, to send an email to the councillors to support LTN. Please fill in and send the email, and pass it on to as many people as possible.
Casey will circulate to WhatsApp groups and NextDoor.
‘Badvertising’
Leo Murray – member of Possible, W6 families for Safe cycling etc, is running a campaign against the advertising (badvertising) of SUVs.
https://e-activist.com/page/66459/petition/1
Please sign the petition and circulate.
These cars are 25% more polluting, kill and injure more people, and take up more space. They are popular because of the advertising that sells them as safe for the occupants, but ignores the reduction of safety for other road users.
More information:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53607147
Consultation on making the Highway code more cycle friendly
https://www.lcc.org.uk/articles/common-sense-coming-for-the-highway-code
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/K736D5/
Closing date October 27th.
The LCC and other organisations have been successful in lobbying the Department of Transport to update the highway code with lots of cycle and pedestrian friendly changes. Please participate in the consultation to strongly support the proposals.
School Streets
People should be walking, cycling, or scooting to school. Most car journeys to school are less than half a mile. These are ideal for switching to sustainable transport.
H&F council are trialling 13 schools. This will involve closure of part of the street outside the school, at drop off and collection times.
Residents and trades people can drive along the road.
In some boroughs the council workers erect the barriers. In some the children man the barriers. It has been very successful where schools have championed the traffic free school streets.
If the parent tries to drive and has to park away from the school, and then leaves their car to walk their child to the school gates, they risk the parking attendants fining their car.
Ken pointed out that Avonmoor school is on a busy road. Here it might be possible to:
- Introduce a 10 mile an hour speed limit
- Have no stopping or pickup or dropoff.
This would make the road outside the school much safer.
Petrina Beaufoy pointed out that most parents with cars don’t want to put their children on bikes. David pointed out that in Chelsea school children these days often come home on scooters.
Pollution inside a car is 140% higher than outside the car. Driving kids half a mile to school is a waste of petrol, creates congestion, makes the roads dangerous for children to cycle, encourages children and parents to be lazy, and contributes to unhealthy lifestyles and killer air pollution.
A car hit children outside a Beatrix potter primary school in Earlesfield. 7 children and 2 parents were hit. We need to encourage safer streets by stopping using vehicles near school.
Rides:
Sunday rides.
David, Casey & Ken have started a successful run of Sunday rides for the last 3 weeks from Empress State building North Fulham.
Some small, short and local, 2 hours, 10 till 2pm.
Huge success. Very positive response from the participants
2nd ride went to Chiswick Flower market – very busy – 20 minute wait to go in, but very good ride. Almost entirely off main roads – small roads and long the river – plotted by Ken McCosh.
Peri is doing recci ride for one of the Sunday riders to find a suitable cycle route for her son to go to school.
We propose to run a ride every Sunday with a longer ride once a month. Maybe an extra sunday when we could have 2 groups, or start a short ride, and then the keen cyclists could carry on?
David said there is a group of cyclists setting off from the design centre by Holland Park every Sunday 10 am – they have 2 groups, one for a longer ride, and one for a shorter.
There was a discussion about starting our H&F Sunday rides from Brook Green, as being more central to H&F.
World’s Biggest Bike Ride- cycling UK
https://www.cyclinguk.org/pumpedup/wbbr
Saturday 12th September. Please log on to Facebook and log how many miles you have done. Aim to be the biggest big ride ever in the world. Strava app – aiming for a million cycle miles.
This could be an opportunity to ride the new cycle infrastructure? A critical mass to ride around Hammersmith and Fulham? Casey will get in touch with Ealing, Hounslow, Better streets K&C, to ask what they are doing. Provisionally will meet on Brook Green, 10am. Near Dunsany Road.
Watch this space!
London to Brighton has been postponed till September 2021.
This Sunday 13th September:
Casey and Peri leading the ride. 10am – 12:00 Empress state building short ride, probably around H&F
Note: In light of the Saturday ride we will not hold a ride on Sunday 13th.
20th September – long ride
Ken proposing one of 24 miles: Round ride out west. Along Grand Union Canal, Cranford Park, South of Southall, Hounslow Heath, Crane River Park, Cafe Nellor Gardens, Home along river Thames from Twickenham.
Palace to Palace
https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/support-our-work/events/your-palace-to-palace
The physical Buckingham palace to Windsor Castle 40 miles ride / walk is replaced this year by a virtual ride over 21st -27th September. Create your own cycling or walking challenge!
Like to ride Fulham palace to Windsor castle? Remember that there is a train to come back from Windsor to Putney if you are too tired to ride back.
27th September Dave next ride – a suggestion to go to Greenwich market – 22 miles.
There was some discussion about starting the rides earlier – if we started at 9am a short ride would be finished at 11. Petrine would like a Sunday afternoon ride, but everyone else has things to do in the afternoon, and would like to go out if anything earlier on a Sunday morning.
The LCC has increased the regulatory requirements for LCC insured rides. The rides have to be advertised on the LCC website. Dave has offered to do the risk assessment . Casey, Peri, Dave and Ken will have a separate meeting to check the new leading LCC rides rules. 5pm Friday Brompton Cemetery.